As Rhode Islanders’ response rate to the critical 2020 Census lags behind the national average for the count now ending one month early on Sept. 30, Rhode Island General Treasurer Seth Magaziner and Elizabeth Burke Bryant, Executive Director of Rhode Island Kids Count joined What’s Up Newp at 2 pm on Monday, September 21st to highlight the serious risks of what’s at stake should the Ocean State not provide an accurate count while also engaging all residents in a final 10-day Census push.
Counts are currently dramatically low in communities such as Providence, Pawtucket, and Central Falls. Newport County’s current response to the 2020 Census trails its 2010 response.
The 2020 Census is not a partisan issue – an undercount fails the entire state and its people, undermining the allocation of billions of dollars for the next decade. Those most at-risk to be shortchanged are hard-to-reach communities like people of color, those with disabilities, young children, and immigrants and people living in rural areas. More than one-third of Rhode Island’s $9.9 billion annual budget is federal funding based on a complete and accurate count.
